The death of Moammar Gadhafi represents another major foreign policy victory for President Obama, who backed a months-long air campaign in Libya while facing criticism from the left and the right.

Obama stared down congressional skeptics across the political spectrum … Through it all, Obama kept his resolve.

…. On Thursday he basked in the second greatest foreign policy triumph of his administration, after the successful operation this spring that killed Osama bin Laden. Gadhafi’s death comes less than a month after the U.S. drone strike killed al-Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen.

…. For the unwavering Obama, Thursday came the big payoff as Gadhafi’s hopes for returning to power ended in a field outside his hometown of Sirte.

…. Obama entered the Oval Office as a novice on the international stage, criticized for a naïve outlook on the world.

…. three years into his term, both the bin Laden and Libya events suggest Obama can be steely in making decisions about U.S. force, and in sticking with them.

David Ignatius (Washington Post): …. Obama saw that a no-fly zone wouldn’t be enough and lobbied for tougher U.N. language authorizing “all necessary measures” to protect the Libyan people. But he opted for limited U.S. involvement, front-loaded in the first week, and under the protective cover of NATO and the Arab League.

Obama deliberately kept the U.S. in the background even when critics began howling for a show of American “leadership.” And most important, he was patient through last summer, rejecting the counsel of those who argued that he must escalate U.S. military intervention to break the stalemate or, alternatively, bail out.

…. Obama took a lot of shots along the way to Thursday’s symbolic end of the Libya campaign. But it seems fair to say that his vision of opposing Gaddafi through a broad, international coalition – in which other nations share the burden, for a change – worked out pretty well.

Steve Benen: President Obama took an enormous risk by agreeing to intervene militarily in Libya. Military resources were stretched in Afghanistan and Iraq; U.S. military commanders were deeply skeptical; Pentagon chief Robert Gates urged the president not to act in Libya; and there was no great appetite among Americans for a third conflict in the Middle East. What’s more, there were all kinds of credible questions about whether this mission had a meaningful chance of success.

But it did succeed and the gamble paid off. Gadhafi and his regime are no more. There’s ample room for a fair debate about whether the mission was wise, but predictions of failure proved to be incorrect.

When it comes to American politics, the next question is what in the world Republicans are going to say about it … ABC’s report identified five different positions Romney has taken on the U.S. million in Libya this year, and as my friend Elon Green notes today, there’s actually a sixth: in his book, Romney accused Obama of appeasing Gadhafi. I’d imagine Romney would drop this attack now, but I suppose one never knows with that guy.

….As for “leading from behind,” it’s looking pretty good right about now.

FT: The demise of Muammer Gaddafi will bolster Barack Obama’s reputation as a strong commander-in-chief, credentials that will make it difficult for Republican rivals to attack his national security credentials as the 2012 election campaign begins.

… Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, two of the leading candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, have largely avoided talking about national security because it is an issue where they can score few points against Mr Obama.

They cannot even use the unpopular wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as lightning rods, as the president is making good on his pledge to withdraw American troops from the former and wind down the latter.

****

Mark Landler (!) and David Leonhardt (New York Times): The final end to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s rule is the latest victory for a new American approach to war: few if any troops on the ground, the heavy use of air power, including drones, and, at least in the case of Libya, a reliance on allies.

Only a few months ago, the approach had few fans: not the hawks in Congress who called for boots on the ground, not the doves who demanded a pullout and not the many experts who warned of a quagmire. Most pointedly, critics mocked President Obama for “leading from behind”….

But the last six months have brought a string of successes. In May, American commandos killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. In August, Tripoli fell, and Colonel Qaddafi fled. In September, an American drone strike killed Anwar al-Awlaki, a top Qaeda operative and propagandist, in Yemen. And on Thursday, people were digesting images of the bloodied body of Colonel Qaddafi….

Steve Benen: Sen. Marco Rubio appeared on Fox News this morning …. His first instinct wasn’t to thank American troops, but rather, to thank French troops.

…. In the mind of this rising Republican star, the American military that helped drive Gadhafi’s regime from power deserves no credit at all. Marco Rubio is comfortable crediting the French, but not American men and women in uniform.

…. Republicans hate the president so much, they just can’t bring themselves to credit him for the success of the mission, or even thank American servicemen and women for their service in completing the mission.

….. When the fear of Obama getting some credit for success is stronger than the satisfaction that comes with Gadhafi’s demise, there’s a problem.

…. Update: McCain appeared on CNN this morning and said, “I think the [Obama] administration deserves credit, but I especially appreciate the leadership of the British and French in this in carrying out this success.” Shameless.

On LOD showed that initially, Romney tried to walk away without answering if Obama should get credit—–and kinda mumbled a quick “sure” as he hustled away. Asked again later, he gave the “yes absoluely” but that was as he was running out of the room too. He sure didn’t look like he wanted to have to answer that question. It was more like “Yah, sure, gotta go”.

These Republicans are pitiful or just plain crazy, they don’t want to give President Obama any credit for anything. But you better believe if things had went wrong they would give him all the blame. These radical crazy ass tea Republicans.

WEll what do we expect from a teabbager Rubion knows shit about the world, he will say anything on FOX
tp score chipshots at the President, but no body is buying any B.S that come out of any GOP/Teabagers.
Most of the American people have seen PBO how effective and smart he is when it comes to protect us.

Saw a young Hispanic woman on one of the MSNBC political shows yesterday (well, young to me and I am a new medicare recipient and many people look young to me). She had been a former Republican trying to recruit Hispanics to the GOP. She is now an Independent due to Marco Rubios stands on Hispanics after his own family was helped. So guess everyone is not hot on Marco Rubio. I hear he is being considered as a potential VP candidate for the Republicans so maybe that is why he is being interviewed.

I can’t wait to see any of these GOP simpletons on the stage debating foreign policy with my President. And could you imagine the off chance that Cain is the VP nominee (as some stupid pundits were saying yesterday)? Joe would absolutely bury Mr. Uz-beki-beki-beki-beki-stan, and do it with a smile.

I’ve been meaning to discuss my thoughts about Mitt Romney during the most recent CNN debate. My favorite part wasn’t the “oh dear, we can’t have ILLEGALS when I’m running for office!” (clutch pearls), or the weird hand on Perry’s shoulder move. No…my favorite part was when he was arguing with Perry about the rules and how Perry was using Romney’s time to talk, Romney goes, “Anderson!,” in a plea for help. Reminded me of those times when I was a kid and I’d be arguing with my brothers about stuff like who has to wash the dishes this time, or he’d be teasing me and when I couldn’t take it anymore, or if I was losing the argument, I’d end it with one.strong.call – “Mom!!!!”

Romney squealed for help from mommy – sorry, Anderson – when he couldn’t take the heat anymore. Loser!

I noticed the hand on the shoulder which seemed comparible to a Gore/GW debate happening of Gore invading GW’s space. The other debate seemed to get the unpresidential, bully, over the line comments afterwards whereas this one didn’t. I did notice that as well as the off handed comment of “…I couldn’t have that as I was running for office” being the reason he couldn’t have an illegal worker cutting his lawn. When I watched my Tivoed political shows last night those two things were caught by the shows but I did not hear anyone mention how many shades of red Mitt turned and how he began stammering when Perry was attacking him that goes with your help comment. I remember a time when Nixon was shown sweating on camera and that was enough to have his opponent JFK win.

Just got a chance to view the videos Chips posted earlier of the Romney and Perry ads going at each other. All I can say is: “OUCH!” The anti-Romney ad is especially effective. I hope they keep punching each other til there’s nothing left but bleached-white teeth and dyed-black hair.

The laughter at Herman Cain should stop after seeing this video. There is nothing funny, IMHO, about a candidate for POTUS who is in some parts a representative of the American people to be so ridiculous that foreign leaders already consider then a joke.

This not about America being above ridicule, but Herman Cain is no longer just an embarrassment to AA, but now he’s should be seen as an embarrassment to all of us.

obama is doing himself a (political) disfavor by the way he silently does what he has to do. He is being so successful without fanfare that its hard to know what to make of him as commander in chief. He really is not the ‘usual’. you want to love him for the great job he is doing on the security front but he makes it seem as if he is not the one doing it but others. Outside of a world war; he might in the end be one of our greatest commander in chief but who will know when he is so ‘no drama’. This can be frustrating to those who want to celebrate him. The way he is going about this job must be wiser than his most bitter detractors can barely fathom. Minimum lost of american lives. The countries peoples power. The peoples own democracy not imposed by us but you know when you seek freedom america have your back. We should trust and support him on iran and syria for although his way is not the bellicose we have grown accustom to, its seems to be the one that will work most effectively in this era. If world dictators take him for granted they do so at their own calamity (peril). We celebrate his success for his success is our success!.

I was telling a friend earlier that the president’s biggest “problem” is that somehow, despite his oratory skills, he hasn’t been able to communicate the greatness of the things he’s accomplished as well as needed. Perhaps it’s not even possible, since the media is so ridiculous and the Republicans are so negative. But one of the most frustrating things is how little people understand just how many great things this president has accomplished.

Please don’t blame PBOor his oratory for the failings of the people and institutions around him. He can’t do everything. It isn’t his job to toot his own horn. He’s got work to do and he is not a boastful person. I’m sure when the campaign starts he will start to mention more of his accomplishments then. It should be the media reporting the facts with his Democatic allies and supporters front and center with the superlatives. Unfortunately the media is pathetic and the Democrats are jealous, ineffective and seemingly uninterested in touting PBO’s accomplishments so we have to do it in our daily contacts with people.

I’m not so much blaming the president…I believe he’s even said that he could’ve done better communicating things he’s done along the way. So, I’m just seeing an area where improvement can be made. No one or nothing is perfect.

I see that as PBO being diplomatic and not wanting to be petty or assign blame. I think the improvement should come from the media, Democrats and the American people most of all. This is a participatory democracy and Americans have to take some responsibility to inform and educate themselves as though their lives depended on it. Democracy is not a spectator sport.

I see the media to be the ones to do the improvement. However, I also believe from my observations that because of those who own the MSM and the toxic environment that this Presidency has had to faced, leave many with this observation that it is POB’s fault. I do not believe that, nor will I accept it.

We look at him as a great and measured leader, and we listen with his words that carry a lot of meat in them, and therefore his accomplishments will be written in the history books, seen and displayed in his Presidential Library for all of history to behold. He and his Presidential accomplishments will be read about, talked about, and appreciated by the world for many generations to come.

So we will keep Pressing On. People see and hear what he is accomplishing(believe me, they really do), but they are too hateful, in many cases to admit it. But those who want to live in a better nation and world, will NEVER forget the accomplishments of President Barack H. Obama, the 44th President of the United States.

Please, please look at the timeline. PBO knew he had a small window with a Democratic House and Senate and he used it for all he could get, which included bringing the economy back from the brink, health care reform, financial reform, saving the auto industry, DADT, etc, etc. In January, of this year, he knew he had to tackle the deficit issue head on because Republicans had so overblown the topic that even many Democrats started focusing on the debt, rather than job growth. Through patience and brilliant strategy, he defused the debt ceiling bomb. From that point onward, he has taken the jobs message and run with it in a masterpiece of coordinated and focused messaging. He has, effectively, stolen the jobs issue away from the Republicans so they are left holding up highly unpopular positions. Meantime, he brought Plouffe to the White House and DWS to DNC to reinforce and echo messages. Now he has a whole year to communicate, inspire, and, yes, campaign. Considering the miserable and hostile media we have, the inability of Democrats to get on tv and the glib recitation of lies by R’s, I think he’s done very well.

Part of why our beloved President is having such success in his foreign policies is due to his manner of listening to others, respecting others, understanding world customs, and leading by joining others in allowing others to accomplish their own objectives. We are aiding them not doing for them which is later interpreted as being a bully and is not appreciated very long.
PBO had an undergraduate degree in foreign affairs so he has a background and study in the history of how things have been done. It led him to seeing that things could be done differently. He doesn’t give up on trying to achieve what should be instead of only going for what has been done before. He also worked with unemployed people in his community organizing bringing him to the realization that people need to be taught how to advocate for themselves not just do it for them. His early speech in Cairo inspired the Arab world to do for themselves. I saw this all along and am glad others are seeing that there is more than one way to do things. Being the loud mouth bully braggard only creates hate for the USA.

They’re all pathetic. The whole sorry bunch of clowns. They hate President Obama so much they won’t even give him a smidgen of credit. That shows how classless they all are. Then, to thank the French and British first before American intelligence? When there were NO American lives lost and it only cost $1 billion and lasted only 7 months? In their hate they show the world how unpatriotic they are. Disgusting.

My goodness, I come home from work, log on, and learn that the world has turned again! Qaddifi is dead, the people of Libya are free and our president’s gamble has paid off again. Rubio and the other clueless, jealous fools like him need to STFU. No matter how they try to twist things to give credit to anyone other than the president (the graceless swine even left out the troops) the world sees, knows and understands what the facts are.

Ha! Nia something–or-other just said that the WH enjoyed seeing Romney flustered and calling out Anderson for help. That was the part of Romney’s performance during his fight with Perry that struck me. He seemed so weak at that moment. “Anderson!!!”

Don’t trust her. Unfortunately, she has become a prisoner of “golden handcuffs.” That’s when minorities who are invited into the halls of power learn to compromise themselves (sell-out) to remain there. She’s learned her lesson well.

I saw her on Reliable Sources a few months back. She was on a panel with three white men including Howard Kurtz, the host, and they were discussing the comments Donald Trump was making about PBO and Howard asked her if she thought any of the comments were racist and she refused to say yes, maybe or even probably and she kept comparing Trump’s comments about PBO to comments people on the left made about Bush not being smart. The old false equivalency bullshit. Both sides do it. Needless to say I’m screaming at my televison thinking I guess Trump would have to use the N-word before this woman would agree his comments were racist. If that did not make her look bad enough, the three white men on the panel all agreed that Trump’s comments were racist. Now you know if three white men can see racism and a black woman can’t then Houston, we have a problem. I have had no use for her “reporting” since.

I finally got thru to my Senator Tester’s local office and talked to my friend that works there. I asked her if Tester was really going to vote no. She said he hadn’t made a decision yet. I told her that I was fully behind the President and that the passage could help my son get a teaching job and help friends get jobs in other states. I said I didn’t like him siding with the Repubs again our President and since he was running for reelection I have been asked to help be a neighborhood leader for him, etc. That if he voted no I didn’t feel I could help in work on his campaign and even give anymore money to his campaign. She said she would pass it on.

I really encourage everyone to continue to call, leave a message, email, twit, etc. I think he could change his mind.

I hope the people who Tester represent will contact him. I’m not from his area, but I will email him. Because as the President said he is the President of the United States, not just a Democratic President. This bill will help Americans all over the country if passed.

Andrea Mitchell has got issues. She was horrible on her own program today, doing everything she could to throw cold water on the news of Qadhafi’s demise, still critical of Obama’s decision there. And if that wasn’t bad enough, and I guess because she was a critic, she got invited onto Nightly News with Brian Williams to criticize some more, saying dumb stuff—-like there were more important countries/leaders to target, what about Syria, what about Iran etc. etc. I think she’s mad at Obama about other things, and makes a fool of herself, looks petty and disingenuous, criticizing him for what should be praise-worthy events.

I sometimes think that Tamron goes overboard trying to prove she’s an objective reporter. I want to tell her that she doesn’t have to have one mean Obama segment every day to be a “good” reporter. It rings false and looks forced.

Leading from behind, hmmp! Such an impossible thing, but somewhere on the planet there’s a person sitting on a wagon, behind a horse. That person is undaunted about possibilities as he pops the reins on the horses ass. 🙂

I guess since the US has spent so much time cozying up to Quadaffi since the Pan Am bombing, and the US embassy bombing etc. it does look like he’d be no big deal. Maybe though this is something that’s been a long time coming, and it’s a darn shame how much the US gov was willing to look the other way for oil. McShame and others spent a few hours hugged up with this “interesting” murderern and hater.

Yep. The “Establishment” wants Bararck Obama out of the White House. It has gotten more and more obvious in the last few months. The establishment understands that Barak Obama is not one of them. They understand very well that he intends to push back against their power as much as possible within the constraints of the political system.

Chipsticks!!!! What are you doing to me? I’ve become such a TOD twitter pitbull warrior 😆 for President Obama that I have media types from the left and right following me now. I checked my “followers” and saw that Mike Allen from Politico is following me, Stephanie Miller (a cohort of Randi Rhodes) is following me, A writer for Huffington Post is following me, a bunch of GOP strategists are following me and now Carolyn Hennesy from the soap opera General Hospital and the ABC comedy Cougar Town is following me. I’m like whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat????? You’ve created a one woman lean mean fighting machine Chips and the rest of the TOD family. 😀

ut, this is an immensely satisfying development. I agree with ‘Proud” that you are a force to be reckoned with. You have no idea the joy I feel when I see a comment from you that says (fill in the blank) I’m off to tweet that link. That tells me that some very important information will be disseminated to fight the disinformation and get the facts out. You are relentless and I love it.

I think it is safe to say that the media firewall has been compromised big time. Thanks for all you do. I am sure your followers have learned that the TOD family loves President Obama and we are fiercely loyal. We don’t play. We will hold the media’s feet to the fire until they start doing their job of educating and informing the public with the facts.

Tweety reported( don’t ask why i was watching. I left my room and when i came back he was on) that Gallup’s new poll shows that Americans believe PBO is largely responsible for the bad economy with 53% and Bush is even more so with 69%. Now, I’ll admit to not being a math wizz, but, is it me or is that math a tad bit screwy?

I watched Tweety and talk about damning with feint praise. He said if it’s close when President Obama is down in the pit with his opponent, and it’s a matter of character even with the bad economy that people may think well he’s been a “pretty good CIC.” What!!!Anyway there was also an NBC analyst on selling the notion that somehow Lybians went to the Arab league and then the AL brought in the Europe,UN and the US. Someone have the facts on this? I remember how hard the US ( PBO), and Susan Rice as well as SOS Clinton had to work to line things up with the support they needed from the UN and how hard it was to get the AL to come along. Wasn’t there some question of would they?

There was the whole question of turning command over to NATO even before the bombings. Didn’t france have to be convinced it should be a NATO mission? The F4 banner did not include the Arab League. Up is down and down is up. Anyone have info from the time?

Exactly! no access, its as if he thinks barking loud enough will get him attention from the Pres. I guess the tingle up his leg (or was it down) is no more. Ed is another one,, President Obama, I think you should do this or that, as if.

I do not like this idea because of my fear of foreign ownership of even more of America and cause I fear unsavory elements easily coming through the door. Comments to it also included the notion that in some other countries that did this it drove up home prices to such a degree that the the citizens of the country could not afford them. Schumer and a republican are presenting this bill as part of a package of immagration reform and housing.

You may be right about any unanticipated results. But, if Schumer’s involved, it’s because he’s trying to do something good for people wanting to live in our country, although I can understand some of your concern. Might do more good than harm, perhaps, if there’s a decent reason behind it. Not sure it’ll get through the Republican-controlled House, in any event, if it gives a break to anyone!

COS. thanks for sharing. I enjoy the Judicial Branch, so when an article comes forth for any of POB’s judicial nominations are mentioned, I am very interested.

You should be so proud. Paul Watford,Esq. sounds like he will be great on the bench. Lets watch him as he comes before the Judicial Committee.

I also sent some appreciation letters to Chairman of the Judicial Committee, Patrick Leahy, Leader Reid , and my Senators for getting some long needed nominations confired on the Senate floor these past weeks. I had asked why the status of the President’s judicial nominations were being held up even though many of them had already been voted out of committee. Thank yous for the right actions are always good, I feel.

Andrea Mitchell as the international affairs “expert” is enough reason not to watch BriWi’s nightly news. We watched CBS with Scott Pelley…an informative ten minutes about Qaddafi’s capture and end, background on him. info on Libya…solid reporting. Even had part of the president’s speech on. Last segment was an interesting one from Chicago about a church’s food pantry. (THe same church where the president and family handed out food T’giving 2008) Reynolds interviewed the priest and asked him if handing out this food every Wed made him lose faith. “No, he said, it increases my faith. We take care of the poor and the poor take care of us. This is what I’m supposed to be doing.” It was not a downer at all…..that priest is doing the good work…..as opposed to all the Republican politicians!!!

Heads up guys. Look for this new meme to come up esp in FDL/Glenzilla liberal blogosphere. Andrea Mitchell on the Last Word just said this was obviously a “kill mission” to get Khaddafi. Expect certain factions of our own “liberal” blogosphere to latch on to this!

Come on now?? Ignoring the troops??? I can understand your hatred for PBO. He is a huge threat to you because deep down you know you can never be as good as he is, but our American troops?? The men and women who risk all to keep you safe?? Disgusting!!!
That’s what happen when people assume you are the underdog. They don’t think you will do much but you show them otherwise real quick.
YOU SHOW UP AND SHOW OUT. GO PBO!!

@RUMPROAST….Thats the best post ever…love it!
Teach them to question our Pres strenght/courage/love for this country…I bet half of them are thanking their lucky starts he has taken it out on them for not helping him get people back to work…Glad we got his back!

Wassup my PBO peeps. Been a while since I’ve blogged, but I have been keeping track of what’s been goin’ on over the past couple of months… and everything is working out almost exactly as I hoped it would. We still have over a year to go before the general election… but barring any unforseen phenoms, looks like THE SMARTEST PRESIDENT EVER is a shoe-in for a 2nd term.

However, there are 2 things that will ALSO require our undivided attention in the coming months… 1. To bring national attention to and to STOP voter suppression efforts in Republican-led states by the GOTP to cheat their way into sustaining their majority power in Congress because “at least” two-thirds of the voting public representing EVERY political spectrum being against ALL they “stand for”… and 2. The censure and preferable deletion of the conflict-of-interest soaked and unethically deluded Clarence Thomas from the Supreme Court. Because both are a direct threat to this country’s Democracy as we’ve known it and as WE THE PEOPLE would like to see it evolve to an even higher level.

So the GOTP MUST GO… by any means legal, necessary and available… so THE SMARTEST PRESIDENT EVER can continue to undue the messes they’ve made and to make Our country greater than great again AND to make Our people (well, most of ‘us anyway) hopeful and higher minded than “usual”.

Libya LOVES the U.S. now?! Who’da thunk it? I tell ya, that Obama is one baaaad mutha… shut my mouth… and big ups and daps to my European and MIddle Eastern brothers and sisters for having our and especially the righteous Libyan Rebels backs. We are ALL Libyans today. One Love. Peace be with.